Mining survey publishes positive opinion

For the third year in a row the New South Wales Minerals Council has reported support for mining is at 70 per cent in public opinion survey.

CEO Stephen Galilee says the surveys are conducted by an independent third party separate from the council.

From what you have read, seen or heard about mining in New South Wales, even if it is just a slight leaning or guess, would you say that you support or oppose the mining industry in New South Wales?

New South Wales Minerals Council survey question

He says the results are accurate and reflect positive community sentiment towards the industry, but says there may be those out there who don't believe the results.

"It does help us to explain to the community and to those in politics that their perception of community sentiment is not reflected by reality," he said.

"Mining issues are in the media on a regular basis and quite often those issues are reported in a negative way.

"We know that the anti-mining organisations are quite vocal in the media and it's easy for people to get a skewed belief of what community sentiment towards mining is, but what these numbers show is that the vast majority of people... actually understand mining is important."

Stephen Galilee says just under 90 per cent of those surveyed thought mining was important for regional areas.

Lecturer of Peace Studies and mine conference organiser Marty Branagan, says most Australians understand mining is an important aspect in their everyday lives.

The University of New England lecturer says he finds the result of a quarter of survey respondents opposing the industry surprising as he believes most people understand the importance of resources.

However, he says the mining companies have invested millions of dollars in to public relations, that may have created a false impression of their impact.

"The industry has been very good at pumping money in to their PR", he said.

"Australians believe that mining employs nine times more workers than it actually does, they think that it creates three times as much economic activity [than] it really does and they think it's 30 per cent more Australian owned than it really is."

"You can get a survey to pretty much get you to say anything, depending on how you phrase it."